Undergarment



Aug. 24, 1937. M; D. NEILSON 2,091,052

UNDIERGARMENT Filed April 27, 1935 INVENTW? MAR) 17. NE/LSON Br 5%. my

Patented Aug. 24, 1937 UNHTED STATES ATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to a garment and particularly to an undergarment for women.

In the present day more and more women are coming to feel that they do not want to wear any but the absolutely essential articles of apparel. This is especially true of undergarments. Women now demand that each undergarment shall have in it only enough material to do the work required of that particular garment and they also wish to dispense with every possible layer of clothing.

At the present day also most women wear a girdle or similar foundation garment. These girdles or foundation garments are made of quite thick and heavy material and are close fitting and have the function of holding the body in a certain shape or form. The same have also come to be rather long so that they extend to or slightly below the crotch. The present day bloomers, pants or panties have come to be so short and close fitting that what really happens when they are worn over a long girdle is that they cover the girdle at their upper portions and the only part of the bloomers or pants that performs the office of a leg covering is the little section between the legs. The upper portion of the bloomers or pants merely forms a second layer of material over the girdle. Furthermore, when bloomers or pants are thus worn over a girdle they cannot come close to the body at the crotch or adjacent the girdle because the latter, as stated, comes down quite low and holds the bloomers or pants away from the body. The long girdle thus worn under the bloomers or pants gives trouble in another way in that the frontof the bloomers is drawn back and forth against the lower edge of the girdle in walking and is soon worn out at this point.

It is an object of this invention to provide a garment which will avoid the three named disadvantages which arise from wearing bloomers or pants over a long girdle, namely, the useless material in the bloomers aside from the crotch section (the only part of the garment doing any real work), the fact that the crotch part of the bloomers or pants is held away from the crotch and legs by the girdle and the excessive wear on the front of the bloomers or pants.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a garment constructed and arranged to be worn inside the girdle and which will therefore come close to the body and yet which will avoid the wear caused by the contact with the girdle.

It is another object of the invention to provide a simple garment constructed and arranged to be attached to the lower inner portion of the girdle to extend forwardly between the legs of the wearer and having portions extending around the legs and arranged to be easily attached to the lower inner front portion of the girdle to form effective leg and crotch portions.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a simple and efficient garment having one end which is preferably a wider end constructed and arranged to be attached to the lower inner rear portion of the girdle and to extend forwardly between the legs of the wearer, the same having narrow or tongue portions at its other end adapted to extend upwardly and be attached to the lower inner front portion of the girdle to form efiicient leg portions.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a garment, which before it is in wearing form comprises apiece of material which may be laid out substantially flat and which has a substantially horizontally upper portion and side portions which converge toward its lower end, the same having a central opening extending upward-- ly from its lower end centrally thereof forming a pair of tongues adapted to form leg portions when the garment is in wearing condition.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:-

Fig. 1 is a plan View of one portion of the garment in detached condition or in non-wearing condition;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of another piece of material used in making the garment;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the garment disposed in-substantially wearing position;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a girdle with the garment of the present invention therebelow in substantially the condition or position it has when attached to the girdle;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the wearer with the garment and the accompanying girdle thereon;

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the wearer with a different form of foundation garment and the garment of the present invention thereon, said wearer also holding a foundation garment with the garment of the present invention partially attached thereto; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective View of the wearer with said foundation garment and the garment of the present invention thereon, said wearer also holding said foundation garment with the garment of the present invention fully attached thereto.

Referring to the drawing, in Fig 1 a garment II! is shown laid out substantially fiat and the same having a top portion or edge lfla. Said top portion llla extends substantially hori zontally, the same being shown in Fig. l as having a slight concave curve. Said garment has side edges Hlb which converge toward its lower end and the same has a central opening or notch I00 extending upwardly from its lower end and forming a pair of tongues or narrow portions Hid. The garment is preferably made with a double thickness of material, side hems being in-- .dicated at Hie. A piece of material 10f is shown in Fig. 2 of. elongated rectangular form and in practice this is folded lengthwise medially and is attached to garment In about the edge of opening lilo in such folded condition. The portion HJ adds thickness and stiffness to the garment about opening I00 and at the bight or upper end of opening lfic portion I01 upstands at an angle almost perpendicularly to the plane of the laid out garment. The garment is provided with a plurality of fastening means H at its top edge, one of these being shown as disposed substantialy centrally of said edge and the others adjacent the ends of said edge. Similar fastening means [2 are disposed at the ends of tongues Illa. and

at the upper end of the opening I00. While various fastening means might be used, in practice fastening means of the well known snap ball and socket type have been used.

In Fig. 4 a foundation garment l3 in the form 0 of a girdle is shown, the same being shown as of a construction to surround or envelop the body. Said girdle is shown as having spaced fastening means Ila at its rear inner side adjacent its bottom and as having spaced fastening means lfa at its inner side and at its front adjacent its bottom. Said girdle is also shown as having garter supports I4 at its front and rear illustrated as in the form of a cord on which are movable garter clasps l5.

In the use of the garment ID the fastening members I I will be secured to the fastening members Ila of the garment l3. The garment II) will then be brought forwardly between the legs and the tongues llld spread as shown in Figs 3 and 4 and the fastening means 12 secured to the fastening means l2a. The garment will then be in the form shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and the upper parts thereof at both front and rear will be disposed within the lower portion of the girdle r 53. The fastening means H and 1-2 are on the side of the garment l0 next to the girdle so that a smooth surface is adjacent the body. It will be seen from Figs. 3 and 4 that an effective leg portion is formed by the position of the tongues Hid and the side portions of the garment in.

This leg portion surrounds the leg and covers the same well in both front and rear. At the same time a comfortable and loose or full crotch portion is provided giving ample freedom for 55 leg movement. The garment when worn projects slightly below the girdle as shown in Fig. 5. The garter supporting means M can be disposed outside of garment Ill and will hold the hose indicated as I6.

0 Referring to Figs. 6 and 7 a different form of foundation garment IB is shown, which garment is provided at its upper end with a brassiere portion Mia and is partially supported by the shoulder straps I80. In Fig. 5 the wearer is shown 65 as having thereon a separate brassire IS having the usual supporting straps I911. The garment 18 may be of lighter material than the girdle l3 and the garment l0 already described may be permanentlysecured or stitched to the inner 70 lower and rear side of the garment IS. The member II] will be provided with the fastening means I2 as already described and garment l8 will be provided with complementary fastenings l8?) at its inner lower front portion. The gar- 7 ment ID will be brought forwardly between the legs and the tongue portions llld will be spread and fastened as already described to the fastening means 18b. The garment will then be in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 as already described and its upper ends at both front and rear will be disposed inside of garment l8 at the front and rear thereof. Garment Iii will project somewhat below garment l8 as shown in Fig. 6. Garment I8 is provided with garter supports 20 similar to members l4 already described and garter clasp-s 2| are supported on members 20. As shown in Fig. 6 the members 20 and 2| may be disposed outside of garment l0 and will support the hose indicated as Hi. In Fig. '7 the wearer is shown holding the garment IB and the garment I0 is seen. attached at both front and rear to the bottom of garment l8 as already described.

From the above description it is seen that applicant has provided a very simple and yet very efficient garment which will overcome many objections to the present practice of wearing a pair of pants or bloomers with a foundation garment. With the present construction the garment at its upper end is next to the body while when a pair of pants or bloomers are worn the upper end thereof is outside of the foundation garment. The present construction results in much greater comfort and more protection for the body. The present garment gives a nice fit around the legs at the inner sides thereof and at the front and rear thereof. As shown in Fig. 1 the garment can be laid out in a flat plane throughout practically all of its extent so that there is no construction of the garment at its upper portion for fitting the body. The fitting part of the garment is provided along the sides and at the portions lOd when these are reversely folded to form the leg portions.

The novel garment fulfills all of the intended functions of the pants or bloomers with a great many additional advantages. It will wear well and there is no portion drawn against the more or less rigid edge of the girdle to be chafed or worn thereby. The garment is more convenient than the bloomers or pants and can be quickly attached or detached. The garment is much simpler and less expensive than the bloomers or pants and can be washed as easily as a handkerchief. The device has been amply demonstrated in actual practice and found to be very successful and efficient.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts, without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a foundation garment such as a girdle having complemental fastening means at its lower inner side at both front and rear, the outermost fastening means at both front and rear being substantially at the sides of said garment, of a garment portion of elongated construction having a rear upper edge with spaced fastening means thereon complemental to the fastening means at the rear of said girdle and spaced similarly thereto so as to be attached thereto, said portion being tapered longitudinally from said rear end to said front end and having a substantially V-shaped elongated opening extending centrally and longitudinally thereinto from said front end, said opening forming tongues having substantially the form of elongated isosceles trapezoids, said portions being constructed and arranged to be brought forwardly between the legs and having fastening means thereon complemental to said fastening means at the front of said girdle including fastening means at the ends of said tongues and at the end of said opening adapted to be attached to the fastening means at the front of said girdle, the adjacent sides of said opening thus being disposed in a substantially horizontal line causing the intermediate portion of said garment to form a crotch and said tongues to extend along the inner sides of the legs and over the top of the legs to form substantially closed leg portions, the ends of said tongues and the ends of said rear edge thus being disposed substantially at the sides of said girdle.

2. The combination with a foundation garment such as a girdle, of a garment portion constructed and arranged to be attached to said girdle and capable of being disposed in a substantially fiat plane, the same having a substantially horizontal top and having approximately rectilinear side edges converging downwardly from said top to its lower end and having a central elongated opening with a curved bight portion at its end extending upwardly centrally from said lower end, said opening forming tapered tongues at said lower end, said garment portion extending at a decided angle to said plane about the bight portion of said opening, fastening means at the ends of said tongues and at the central part of said 5 bight portion, the top of said garment extending substantially across the entire rear of said foundation garment and being attachable adjacent the lower edge thereof, said garment portion then passing between the legs forwardly and attached by said fastening means in a substantially horizontal line to the inner lower portion of said foundation garment at the front thereof, the ends of said tongues being substantially alined front and rearwardly with the ends of the top of said garment whereby said tongues extend along the inner side of the legs and over the top of the legs and substantially closed semi-cylindrical leg portions and a loose crotch portion are provided.

3. A garment attachment adapted to extend forwardly and rearwardly between the legs comprising an elongated piece of material having a rear end, substantially rectilinear side portions converging toward its front end and having an elongated vshaped opening with a curved upper end extending longitudinally and centrally thereof at said front end and forming tongues, each having substantially the form of an elongated isosceles trapezoid, fastening means at the ends of said tongues respectively and spaced fastening means at the rear end of said garment including fastening means at the ends of said rear end whereby said attachment may be attached to the rear sides of a foundation garment, the same extending substantially across the entire rear side of said foundation garment, fastening means adjacent the inner end of said opening, said at tachment being adapted to pass forwardly between the legs and have the ends of said tongues and the portion adjacent the inner end of said opening attached to the front of said foundation garment adjacent the lower edge thereof and substantially at the sides thereof, with the adjacent sides of said opening extending in a substantially horizontal line whereby said tongues: extend along the inner sides of the legs and over the tops of the legs to form substantially closed leg portions.

4. A garment attachment adapted to extend forwardly and rearwardly between the legs of the wearer and comprising a piece of material of elongated trapezoidal 'form, the long parallel side thereof forming the rear edge of said piece, the opposite end of said piece having a narrow elongated opening extending centrally and longitudinally thereof and of substantially V-shaped form, said opening forming tongues at each side thereof having substantially the shape of elongated isosceles trapezoids, said piece having spaced fastening means at said rear edge, some of which are at the ends of said edge, said fastening means being adapted to be secured to complemental fastening means adjacent the lower edge of a foundation garment with said rear edge extending substantially entirely across the rear of said foundation garment, said garment attachment also having fastening means at the ends of said tongues and at the top of said opening adapted to be attached to complemental fastening means adjacent the front lower edge of said foundation garment in a substantially horizontal line, with the fastening means at the ends of said tongues being substantially alined front and rearwardly with the fastening means at the ends of said rear edge respectively.

5. The structure set forth in claim 4 and an elongated rectangular piece of material attached to said piece around said opening, said garment attachment at the bight end of said opening having its edge portion upstanding at an angle to the general plane of said piece.

6. A garment portion comprising a piece of material having a top edge adapted to extend substantially entirely across the rear of the body of the wearer, supporting means for said top edge, said portion having substantially straight sides converging toward its other end and being centrally divided by an elongated opening at said other end to form spaced tongues having substantially the form of elongated isosceles trapezoids, the ends of said tongues and the edges along the adjacent sides of said tongues being constructed and arranged to be attached in a line along the front lower part of said garment, means for securing the portion adjacent the inner end of said opening to a support to hold said last mentioned edges in said line, said tongues extending along the inner side and over the top of the legs to form substantially closed leg portions and a full crotch portion.

7. A garment portion comprising a piece of material having a top edge adapted to extend across the rear of the body of the wearer, said portion having sides converging toward its other end and being centrally divided by an elongated opening at said other en to form spaced elongated tongues, said tongues tapering toward their free ends and extending forwardly between the legs of the wearer, means adjacent the inner end of said opening for connecting said portion to a support, the inner edges of said tongues being substantially in rectilinear alinement at the front of the body of the wearer when the garment is in wearing position so that a full crotch portion is formed and said tongues extend over the legs of the wearer to form short leg portions.

MARY D. NEILSON. 

